What is a lithograph? Why do they come in limited editions? Why do they cost so much? We hope that you will find the answers to these questions in this article.
The word “lithograph” comes from the Greek “to drawn on stone”. It is the art of reproducing on paper drawings previously done by the artist with a greasy crayon onto to a lithographic stone tablet. It is a noble artistic technique, which allows proofs to be made, whose printing depends on the complexity of the drawing and the quality of the support.
Generally between 100 and 500 copies can be printed using this technique. Then the support is no longer usable and the stone is destroyed.
Each lithograph is printed on special paper; Arches pur chiffon (a cloth fibre which guarantees excellent ageing of the work, largely superior to an oil painting) and is considered as an original print.
Individually numbered by the artist, the print often comes with a Certificate of Origin.
The value of a lithograph depends on the artistic quality of the work and the reputation of the craftsman, and not on the supporting “stone” used in the making. The modern support, a thin metallic plate made from calcium carbonate, is as viable as stone and is more practical and less cumbersome to work with.
On the scale of artistic value, the lithograph is considered just below an original drawing.
You will find other information and examples on the following sites:
What is a lithograph? Why do they come in limited editions? Why do they cost so much? We hope that you will find the answers to these questions in this article.
